A wedding between two people although it can be religious, is also a legal contract that both partners agree too; the attitude of western populations towards marriage has undergone many changes recently. Although the service may be quite lengthy and involved, it is not complete until the legal aspect is fulfilled; a legal document called a marriage license must be signed before the law recognizes a couple is married. The man getting married is called the groom or bridegroom to give him his full title and the woman the bride; once they are married they known as the wife and husband.
The White Wedding
Other wedding traditions vary according to the religion, race, ethnic group and even class the couple may belong too. Although it may seem like the world has turned away from the Christian religion generally, it has not stopped the popularity of a Church ceremony. The traditional white wedding as we know it is really only a service that is popular in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and some other Commonwealth countries.
Double Ceremonies
A different type occasion often difficult to arrange is where two couples are married simultaneously; typically, a person with a brother or sister might plan this type of occasion with that sibling.
Getting Married in a Foreign Country
You will probably already know of a couple that decided on a destination wedding and asked the guests to travel to where they were staying; the definition of a destination wedding is flexible as you don’t actually have to leave your country for it to qualify, just so it isn’t in your home town.
Activity weekend Weddings
Weekend weddings are becoming popular and in Ireland they take place over the course of three days. To cater for an expanding market a number of companies arrange special themed occasions that incorporate anything from golf to surfing. Accommodation for these is normally arranged at the place where the service is going to take place and where the other events are also being held.
Online Ceremonies
Although it has not really caught on yet, a few bold and different people have decided to tie the knot online but it may be sometime before this style of wedding really becomes more popular; planning is made easy however, with online guides that list reliable and friendly vendors. Marriages that are broadcast live online are also referred to as online weddings.
City Hall Services
A civil wedding is a ceremony presided over by a local civil authority, such as an elected or appointed judge, justice of the peace or the mayor of a locality. These ceremonies do not normally make any reference to God as they are a legal ceremony only. These services often take place in city halls, courthouses and other designated areas of town. The weddings discussed here are primarily based around Christian beliefs but each religion and culture has their own traditions in this area.